Casting Season

 It's casting season here at the Lead Gardens. The weather has "springed up" and it's perfect for getting
outside and starting on some summer casting projects. Outdoor casting has the advantage of keeping the  nasty metal fumes out of the house.

I purchased three of the new 40mm Prussian molds from Prince August. I found the new moulds to be a nice change from the sometimes awkward poses of PA figures. The apparently have listened to those of us who war-game with these big guys and need a versatile figure that will paint up to most 18th century types.

Here are the wargame friendly features of the new molds:

1. The mould will cast two figures at a time, effectively halving casting time---particularly if you go for big units (mine are established at 40 figures) I got this new unit done in about 5 hours in two sessions over a weekend.

2. The moulds have two separate heads-- the basic infantry mould has both a musketeer in tricorn heads and grenadier heads in mitre two each so casting the mould will supply the optional heads as well.  The officer, standard bearer, NCO, drummer molds have tricorn and fusilier heads. I bought all three moulds so I've got lots of spare heads now (to do a fusilier unit will take a lot of officer casting because the fusilier head only comes in the drummer mold)

3. The detail is more accurate for the Prussians.

4. The pose matches the older infantry advancing pose, though I hear they will be coming out with a march attack pose later.

5. The heads cast separately but are very easy to attach thanks to a nice sturdy peg cast on the head in conjunction with a plastic rod that is inserted into the mould before casting. This ensures that the hole for the peg in the body of the figure is perfectly sized.

 I went with a unit of grenadiers that will represent one of the units from my Imagi-nations. I have been upscaling all of those figures from my original collection of 30mm RSMs.

The only downside of the casting session was having to do a bit of vent cutting to get the heads to cast properly. That is typical of PA moulds so not a big deal really. The only thing I had real trouble with was getting the officer's sword and had to cast (it's a separate piece)…but I think it's because I use old figures for my metal and I'm guessing if I used some of PA's higher quality casting metal, it would make things easier.

I'll be posting progress on the painting of this unit soon.

Cheers!

New Musketeers!

 Just finished a new company of 40mm Prince August Homecast...these fellows will do service as a unit of my Imaginations. I'm gradually scaling up my Imaginations collection to 40/42mm to fit in with my French and British so I'm taking my already named units and imaginary history and up-scaling them for my home-casting project.

finished unit with the miscast muskets ready for repair...

These castings are from the newest PA molds that came out last November. As always the PA casting is pretty easy except for some musket barrels that did not cast to the right length. So I used my flat toothpick fix that works really well for most PA musket sword casting repairs. It works as well as the round toothpick solution for wagon/gun wheels.

 I also did a few minor head modifications to get better three dimensionality and some more extensive mods to make a standing flag bearer...but the PA figures (particularly the artillery castings) do well as a base for unusual conversions.

The toothpick fix...super glue works as both the adhesive and as a way to seal the wooden toothpicks.

All painted up, the toothpicks are pretty convincing!

And as a unit, the fix is almost undetectable!

Ready for the field!

The Armies March

The English defend.

 I set up a new battle on my newly upgraded table (feels like a glorious 8'x5' after a few months relegated to the 6x4 dining table). This is actually the second battle but who's counting...

The defenders hold the bridge perimeter.

 In this scenario, I used a variation of the "Raid on St. Michel" campaign book (teaser 5) assuming a larger force holding a bridgehead and needing to hold the bridge open to get all its baggage (and loot) across the river while being attacked by a strong pursuing force.

Irish Regiment Bulkeley (now with a full compliment of 2 "companies" of 16 men) ...all that is lacking to be cast up is a mounted colonel, a second flag bearer and an NCO.

A church and walled graveyard dominate the center of the field

The French...Infanterie Regiment Lyonnais and a battalion gun on the flank facing a long march across an open field under the guns of the Brits.

I'm hoping to get this battle underway towards the end of the week...until then it remains set up. It makes me happy and reduces the end of the day work stress just looking at it, even if I don't get to roll some dice immediately.

Battle of St. Michel: Second Attempt- The Report

British grenadiers and the 12th regiment of Foot begin their assault on St. Michel

The battle opens with the British advancing smartly in column of companies to cover the expanse of open ground as quickly as possible.

The 8th Regiment of Foot (King's) deployed in line covers the flank of the assaulting column.

Attentive readers will notice I've mislabeled the Colonel's stand (in this game hit early...) as the Lorraine Regiment...They are actually painted as the Regiment Lyonnais....I am getting old and confused..!

British battalion guns do some serious damage to an exposed company of the Lyonnais Regiment.

I simulated indecision on the part of the French of when to release their cavalry by rolling each turn for their Brigadier to convince the reluctant CinC to charge forward. About turn three they finally surge forward.

French Horse bear down on the British line.

The 12th Foot and converged grenadiers move to assault St. Michel

light cavalry clash on the flank

In the center the French cavalry charge the 8th regiment of foot...

The assault column closes in...

overview about halfway through the battle...the French regrouping their horse after an unsuccessful charge and the British assault column closes in on the outskirts of St. Michel

The defenders of St. Michel, Infantrie Regiment Lyonnais

French CinC

Col. Skelton of the 12th foot leads from the front but is one of the first to fall...

The objective...the pay waggons

Light infantry skirmish

The British column begins to break up.

The French Cuirassiers make another charge on the British left.

cavalry action

Concentrated musketry and cannon fire shatter the British in the final moments of the assault.

The final blow to the British is delivered by a successful charge of French heavy horse.

This battle was fun...but had to be taken down fast.... but my sights were set on getting a larger table set up and some more figures painted up...so in my next post, another CS Grant teaser from the "Raid on St. Michel" book

Battle of St. Michel: Second Attempt

 The British, after a failed first attempt at capturing St. Michel, have, by some timely reinforcements (read frantic week of casting and painting...) returned to the attack and are making a second attempt to capture the all important pay wagons of the French forces in the area.

the much strengthened English advance to the attack

Newly arrived from Portsmouth, the 8th (Kings) Regiment of Foot

The newest addition to the British is the 8th regiment of Foot (Kings). I struggled to get the right shade of blue for the facing but I'm still not quite happy with how they turned out. Dark royal blue is a seemingly hard color to get right and I've not yet figured out the right solution (or brand of paint) to get it right...any suggestions are much appreciated!

The French still enjoy a superiority of horse

The Irish Regiment Bukeley in French service hold the right flank

The British attack columns crest a distant ridge

I'll be fighting this one out over the next couple of days...despite my occupation of the family dining table, I intend to finish this one and do a proper battle report.

I also spent the day cleaning a "spare" room in our house that, if plans go well, will become a new gaming space--though not quite entirely dedicated to gaming....at least a bit less disruptive to the household...and less accessible to the new kitten who has shown great and destructive interest in the goings on in the dining room! 

I think the British now have a fighting chance at taking the town...and I have new impetus in adding another two feet to the 6x5 table I'm currently limited to...but mum's the word... don't tell the Misses!

I'm also in heated anticipation of the new Prince August "Karoliner" molds coming out in a few weeks...they look really good and a nice addition for us PA fans who are using the figures for wargaming! If we could just convince them to make a grenadier in a bearskin hat....